When you think of the best hip-hop songs of 2023, there's a lot of variety to pick from when it comes to styles and appeals. Of course, people want their hits, and many massive albums this year like Drake's For All The Dogs and Travis Scott's UTOPIA amassed staggering numbers. With all these highlights in mind from these huge names, you'd expect something like a "MELTDOWN" or a "First Person Shooter" to be the biggest streaming hits, right? Well, instead, Gunna's "fukumean" off of his album a Gift & a Curse ended up being the most streamed rap song of 2023 in the United States.
Furthermore, this isn't so much surprising as it is just a curious and emblematic development when you look at the state of 2020s hip-hop. New sounds are replacing old ones as they bubble up to the top, and artist like Gunna who've built their career in the mainstream for years are now entering its highest echelons. We also can't say this isn't a deserved accolade. "fukumean" is hands-down the catchiest and most structurally engaging song on his project, even if you don't care for the persistent "ee-yah!" vocal sample.
Gunna's "fukumean" Dominated Hip-Hop Streams This Year
With over 400 million streams across all digital streaming platforms in 2023, this track can now officially call itself the biggest rap hit of the year. What's more is that, through recent live performances and surely more to come, Gunna has ample opportunities to celebrate this feat and his career trajectory as a whole. Not only that, but he's also making sure to stay grounded in the collective that, although strained now due to their RICO case and his plea deal, gave him this shot at stardom. For example, during the College Park native's recent Dubai show, he shouted out Young Thug and advocated for his freedom during his rendition of their track "Hot."
Meanwhile, that conversation dominated a good chunk of the year, but now took more of a backseat. With Thugger's father defending Wunna against his new opps in the game, people are split on how to interpret the state of their relationship. All we can say for sure is that there's a chance he'll come through with the biggest rap song of 2024, too. On that note, stick around on HNHH for more news and the latest updates on Gunna.